Panaji Sep 30 PTI Physical sessions for classes 9 to 12 which have been shut in Goa since the outbreak of COVID-19 last year may resume before the Diwali festival Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said An expert committee of doctors has given its go ahead for the resumption of these classes in a phased manner Sawant told reporters on Wednesday The decision of the expert committee would be placed before the state COVID-19 Task Force which will take a final call on it he said Once the task force gives its approval the state education department would be informed and it will start the classes step-by-step the CM said These classes may resume before Diwali he said Sawant said classes 10 and 12 whose students have to appear for board exams could resume first followed by classes 9 and 11 Depending on the infrastructure of schools the classes will begin for classes 9 to 12 by following all COVID-19 protocols and norms he added On Wednesday Goa reported 83 new coronavirus infections which took its caseload to 176318 while four fatalities raised the death toll to 3312 a health department official earlier said The number of recovered patients in the state rose to 172176 on Wednesday and there were 830 active COVID-19 cases in the coastal state he said PTI RPS GK GK

Panaji Sep 30 PTI Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar has tested positive for coronavirus a legislature functionary said on Thursday Patnekar was admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital GMCH after he tested positive for the viral infection on Wednesday former MLA and Goa Legislature Forum vice president Victor Gonsalves told reporters As per doctors Patnekars condition is stable he said Patnekar is the third state BJP leader to test positive for the coronavirus infection in last one week Earlier this week Goa BJP chief Sadanand Tanavade and the partys general secretary organisation Satish Dhond had tested positive for the disease and both of them were being treated at the GMCH located near here PTI RPS GK GK